The Secret Library Podcast

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#90 :: Succeeding Slowly | Jojo Moyes Feb 15, 2018

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Before Me Before You sold 8 million copies, Jojo Moyes wrote three books that didn't sell at all. Jojo Moyes wrote three books that the publishers rejected before she was published at all and 8 novels over 10 years before she had a hit. Listen up to this incredible conversation to learn why she wouldn't change a thing. Her perspective on the beauty of great success that happens slowly is one you'll listen to over and over. Let Jojo be your guide to never giving up on your writing. One of my favorite episodes so far.

#89 Danielle Lazarin Talks Back about Back Talk Feb 08, 2018

Show notes

Danielle Lazarin didn't realize she'd written a Feminist Collection of Stories. What struck me about Back Talk was how real the people inside the pages felt. Reading through the book, I was a bit surprised at how the critics had hailed it as a feminist collection, because it felt first and foremost like a collection of stories about women acting the way women actually act. But then it hit me, that is profoundly feminist because we come up against stereotypes in fiction all the time. Breaking them down is as feminist a choice as I can imagine. I adored both this book and this conversation. If you have ever written a female character, or ever plan to, you'll find something to inspire you. Happy listening.

#88 I Wrote it Anyway Feb 01, 2018

Show notes

Sometimes the hardest part about writing is having the guts to get started.

In a time where it has never been easier to publish a book with indie publishing on the rise, I still hear from person after person afraid to take on the title of "writer" for themselves, sometimes even after publishing several books. The statistics have reported that 4 out of 5 people would like to write a book, but far fewer people do. In this 3 part episode, we launch a new anthology, leap over obstacles, and talk about some truly amazing books.

#87 Paula Priamos Turns Suspense Inside Out Jan 25, 2018

Show notes

Paula Priamos is no stranger to suspense. She spent her childhood in courtrooms thanks to her father's career as a defense attorney. She learned the language and the pacing of this world and dove into the underworld connected to the law when she wrote her first book, a memoir about her father's life and death called The Shyster's Daughter. In her second book, Inside V, Paula moves to fiction to tell a dark twisting story about a couple thrown into chaos by an accusation and subsequent trial. In this episode, Paula and I discuss writing thrillers, character development, and how to keep suspense in a story as you write it. I was particularly taken with her desire to subvert cliche in characters by looking at how we expect certain tropes to behave: the other woman, a man accused of sexual assault, the young accuser and all the other figures that appear in the book. If you've thought about writing thrillers, this episode will have you on your way. There is no shortage of readers out there who love to read them, so if thrillers are calling your name, listen up and get writing!

#86 Chloe Benjamin on the Immortalists Jan 18, 2018

Show notes

Chloe Benjamin is equally adept at creating myths and busting them. The Immortalists has enjoyed a tremendous amount of buzz, listed as one of the most anticipated books of 2018 on more than one list. This is the kind of buzz usually reserved for debut novels or novels from household name authors. Chloe is, instead, a second-time author following a first novel that sold well, but on a more modest scale. In the publishing industry, like any other industry, there are many myths, and not just the ones that live inside of books. One of them is that you can't expect to sell a second book if your first wasn't a blockbuster. Chloe broke this myth herself with The Immortalists. We discuss this myth in this episode, along with many other things: our shared love of bathrobes and a debate about the advantages of executive assistant jobs while writing books. Chloe is living proof that things don't always proceed the way "they" say they will. She's written a gorgeous book that deserves every bit of attention it is getting and I hope you leave this episode just as inspired as I was after our conversation.

#85 Cecil Castellucci on Writing for Young People Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

Cecil Castellucci has been writing for young people for over fifteen years, has published a stack of books and writes an ongoing comic book through an imprint with Marvel. She knows the world of YA and gave me the lowdown on that world in this incredible conversation. We talk about her latest book, Don't Cosplay With My Heart, which I loved and read in a single sitting. I expect you will, too. We dive into tons of hot-button topics in this episode: capturing the teen experience, why people are suddenly being accused of being "fake geeks" now that geekdom is cool, and the issue that's got a lot of people talking: sensitivity readers and what this means for writers. If you've thought about writing for young people, or are working on a story for that audience, this is essential listening. And even if this isn't your usual genre to read, you may find yourself diving in after listening. This is such a fun audience to write for, and one worth spending time with. Bonus... you'll learn who the main character of Cecil's book is named after toward the end of the episode, something I guessed while I was reading and had to confirm. Happy listening!

#84 Joanna Penn on building a full-time writing life. Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

Joanna Penn is a prosperous writer. Yes, you read that correctly. I wanted to begin the New Year with an episode guaranteed to inspire. Once I connected with Joanna, I knew she was the one to share with you first in 2018. Not only is she day-job free, Joanna Penn makes a solid six-figure income from writing and travels extensively to places that fascinate her to research her books. Before you glaze over, I promise you – this is far from a get rich quick scheme. It took Joanna four years to build up enough income from writing books and speaking to walk away from the job that was crushing her creative spirit. She works very hard and writes continuously to keep new titles up to sell. She has learned so much from building a business as a writer, deciding not to publish within traditional publishing and going the indie author route, and choosing to write books that are fun for her to write. This episode was like an invitation to consider what is possible to accomplish for writers. A big proponent of developing a successful author mindset, I know Joanna will challenge you to dream bigger about living a great life as a writer. Our conversation definitely lit a fire under me and I have been writing like a maniac ever since. May it do the same for you. Happy listening!

#83 Anu Partanen on the Nordic Theory of Writing Dec 28, 2017

Show notes

Anu Partanen never planned to move to the United States. She was very happy living as a journalist in Finland until she fell in love with an American, and ended up moving to NYC so they could marry and be together. Once moving here, Anu became even more aware of the advantages her home country had provided: universal high-quality health care, childcare, maternity leave, elder care, and on and on. For the first time, she was presented with bills and policies that didn't make sense to her. As a journalist, she began researching the differences between the US and the Nordic countries, expanding her research to include policies in Sweden, Norway and Denmark as well as Finland. The result was the book, The Nordic Theory of Everything. I read this book in late 2017, wooed by the topic of social change. I was blown away and immediately knew I had to speak to the author. Our conversation explores the potential impact on writers and people in creative fields and how the way the US treats people could be the reason countless people choose not to pursue a career as a writer. Thankfully, we also find hope in this conversation, as well as actions people can take (in addition to seeking Finnish citizenship) to improve life as a creative professional. I'm so grateful to release this episode in the last slot of 2017, just in time for us to make big changes that support more and more writing in the New Year. Happy listening!

#82 Mark Frauenfelder on Broad-Spectrum Enthusiasm Dec 21, 2017

Show notes

Everyone has heard the classic trope write what you love. In some cases, I have felt a bit bullied by this concept. "How am I supposed to know what I love most?" I have wondered. I think the best thing you can do to figure this out is to listen to this conversation with Mark Frauenfelder and listen to how he followed what was fascinating to him and wrote books and articles about these things along the way. In this conversation we talk about the day job that Mark escaped to write and it is the worst day job for a writer I have yet heard of. In addition, learn about how Boing Boing was founded. The original office space for the zine version sounds like my version of heaven and I'm sure it will to you, too. Above all, Mark is an incredible role model for making a living from curiosity, enthusiasm, and being willing to dive into a world you don't entirely know yet. His fascination with a variety of topics and being willing to write about them just because he loves learning is both infectious and a great example to the rest of us. If we follow his lead, I think we are in for a lot of amazing books to hit digital and physical shelves very soon.

#81 Malu Halasa on redefining American Fiction Dec 14, 2017

Show notes

A journalist and author of numerous non-fiction books on the Middle East, Malu Halasa has just published her first novel, Mother of All Pigs. Born in Oklahoma, her Jordanian Filipina heritage gave her a unique perspective from the beginning. After growing up in Ohio, she attended Barnard College in New York and now lives in London. From this vantage point, she's taken on the fascinating world of the Middle East and has worked hard to expand the number of voices heard from that area. Throughout the conversation we explore the tricky thing that is "American Literature." When she first began working on this novel in the 90s, Malu didn't expect to publish it because there didn't appear to be a market in the states for Middle Eastern narrative. People were willing to read non-fiction, but not a novel. As she looked on bookshelves she wondered "where is my family story?" Luckily for us, she wrote it herself. It is my hope that more people do the same. If a story is missing from the shelves, it doesn't mean it shouldn't be included. We need to challenge the publishing status quo by supporting fiction that expands our boundaries and helps us learn. I hope you are inspired by listening to this episode to think about what story you have to tell that isn't currently getting heard. I can't imagine how many stories we aren't reading that need to be read. If you have a story like this, listen to this episode and then write your story. We want to hear your story, too.

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